Exploring the Heartland of Single Malt Scotch Whisky: Distillery Tours and Regional Map

The Scotch single malt whisky is made by distilling a fermented malt must, a wash made of barley that was germinated and dried in traditional ovens called kilns, then ground, mixed with water, and fermented thanks to yeast inoculation.

The wash is distilled in the alembic, and then the alcohol is aged in casks.

Described in this way, it seems like an easy operation, but the variations in styles, smoking, shape, height, and even type still change the cards on the table and lead to a boundless production of Scotch single malt.

But how do you comprehend the distinct styles and characteristics of each single-malt Scotch?

Today we will look at the classic regional subdivision into which Scotland is divided and examine the six mythical regions into which it is divided. Islay, Islands, Campbeltown, Lowlands, Highlands, and Speyside

It’s not easy to tell what style each area has, but there are often things that are typical.

Of course, Islay and the Islands produce peated single malt whiskeys. Indeed, they are the home of smoked spirits, but following the red thread of peat is not always easy. Speyside is known for its smooth, elegant drams, but it also makes peaty whiskeys.

The Springbank distillery also produces peat and non-peat products. Let’s say that many influences and choices characterize the style of Scotch. Peat is now a stylistic choice.

When the malt is dried, it is enough to add or not add the peat in the kilns and ovens. It is not an innate characteristic of Scotch. Instead, the sea and salt make their way into the DNA of whisky.

We can divide the whiskey into the marine distillates, rich in iodized, salty, and seaweed suggestions, and the softer ones, where instead it is the toasted malt that emerges. We’ll have the salty spirits on Islay and throughout the islands to get to the remote Highland Park distillery in the Orkney Islands.

The division between the Highlands and the Lowlands

And this leads us to talk about the history of Scotch whisky. In 1787, the Scottish state imposed a heavy tax on all distilleries, dividing the country into the Highlands and the Lowlands.

In the north of Scotland, taxes were based on how much distillate was made, while in the south, taxes were based on how big the stills were and how much they could hold.

The Lowlands exploded, and an industrial district was created with distilleries that produce low-cost alcohol without paying any attention to quality. The opposite happens in the Highlands, where distillation is slow and you pay for the product.

Just think that it was forbidden for the Highlanders to sell their drams in the Lowlands—they were too good compared to the industrial spirits. But now enough of the story, and let’s start traveling on the Scottish map!

Campbeltown

Located on the Kintyre peninsula, just south of Islay, the first “Irish colony” built 1500 years ago was once the world crossroads of Scotch, now forgotten, if not for the legendary Springbank distillery, managed in an artisanal way by the Mitchell family for 200 years. Distillates with salt and elegance, peaty or not, double and triple distillation: they know how to do it all.

Try the Springbank 10 and the Hazelburn Oloroso Cask Single Malt 14 years old. In 2014, the Nova Scotia distillery, founded in 1832, was renovated and started well, but it still has a long way to go. Glengyle, founded in 2004, is the new venture of the Mitchell family, also Springbank.

Islands

They are all the islands around Scotland, a floating crown on the sea. A myriad of islets, almost 800 in number, surround the coasts. Lonely and inhospitable places were where abusive distilleries swarmed, so no one went to look for them. The distilleries are few, but we find real jewels that we would list starting from the south and then moving northward, clockwise, around the mainland. In theory, this is a subdivision only for convenience that brings together a few sparse and vaguely similar style distilleries, which are part of the Highlands and therefore not an official area by law, but for drinkers.

Starting from the south, we find the Hebrides with Arran, one of the most enchanting places in all of Scotland. Then there was Jura, a barren land close to Islay, where the distillery of the same name produces splendid, ripe, peaty, and intense Scotch.

The Tobermory distillery on the Isle of Mull, the Talisker colossus of the Isle of Skye to the north, produces single malts that are peaty and salty like a rock. Then we have the Abhainn Dearg distillery, also known as Red River distillery, in Uig, on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides, in an area that seems to be on the edge of the world.

If we move further east, we find the Orkney Islands, where Scapa and Highland Park are two excellent distilleries. One of Scotland’s best distilleries in terms of attention to detail, spirit charm, and finesse.

The peat is there, but it is declined with supreme delicacy, the sea howls, but there are no edges. As a common trait, these whiskeys are very salty, peppery, strong, and spicy, with a sharp and pungent fruit. Honey, yes, but steeped in strong and intense flavors.

Islay

Islay is a small island in Scotland’s west. It is still part of the Hebrides, but it should have its own protected designation of origin because it is where peaty Scotch single malt comes from.

As the crow flies, we are about 150 km west of Glasgow. Islay is in the middle of the sea, just above the peninsula of Kintyre, close to the island of Arran, and next to the island of Jura. It is the biggest and the first of the Hebridean islands, which then spread out like the stars in the sky.

It’s one of the Islands, but it’s the biggest, wildest, most beautiful, and most heroic because it stands up to the violent winds and sea. People say that the first whiskeys were made on this barren island where the strong sea winds blew all the time, which is easy to believe since Ireland is so close to the sea.

The spirits are smoky, salty, and pungent.

There are a total of nine distilleries, and only one, the Bunnahabhain distillery, also makes single malts that don’t taste like peat.

It started making them in 1970 so it wouldn’t miss the peaty trend, but their main business is making small gems that aren’t made of peat.

Single malt is known all over the world because of the great distilleries on Islay. Ardbeg, Lagavulin, Caol Ila, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Laphroaig, Bowmore, the oldest and biggest, and Kilchoman, which opened in 2005 but is already a legend because of its clear, sharp, peaty, medicinal, and never-too-mature style.

Ardnahoe was the ninth distillery and the newest one in 2018, but it didn’t open until 2019. We’ll let you know as soon as possible how the wine tastes.

Lowlands

They are in the south of Scotland, which used to be the center of Scotch industry but now has few distilleries. Auchentoshan stands out because it is the only one that still makes soft, herbaceous, and very delicate distillates through triple distillation. Herbal, light, smooth, caramel, and toffee until the end of time.

Speyside

where almost half of Scotland’s distilleries are located, making it the “El Dorado” of Scotch. It was the first natural area to establish itself in terms of quality. This was made possible by the clean waters of the River Spey, which flows through rolling hills, grasslands, and very fertile fields where barley grows very well and provides an unbeatable raw material.

The big names and most famous distilleries are here. The Glenlivet, Macallan, and Glenfiddich make a third of all Scotch, but smaller distilleries like Glenfarclas, the amazing Aultmore, and Balvenie also make great bottles.

The area is part of the Highlands, but it is so important that this sub-area was made that Macallan still calls the area the “Highlands” out of pride. We are in Morayshire, and if we want to give Speyside a shape, we can think of Elgin, Dufftown, and Keith as the towns where most distilleries are located.

Styles in Speyside are different, but it’s important that the malt is pure. It needs to have hints of flowers, herbs, and biscuits, a lot of elegance and balance, and very little (or no) peat.

They range from Glenfarclas and Macallan, which are fruity and spicy, to Aultmore and Balvenie, which are pure, rough, and rocky, with Glenlivet in the middle. They always have a light, herbaceous, toasted, and perfectly spiced flavor without being too rich or velvety.

Highlands

Highland is any land that is not lowland. If you make a straight line between Glenkinchie and Auchentoshan, the only thing to the north is the Highlands, which are full of rocky moors, rivers, and forests where the eyes and the spirit can get lost. There are large areas of Scotland with few people living there. Only 5% of the population lives there.

It’s hard to describe these noble drams in a single way because they all have pure malt, heather, honey, and a hint of spice that isn’t too strong.

The cardinal points are the big four. A few distilleries are to the east, including the tiny town of Oban, which is known for the quality of its spirits, which are spicy, marine, pungent, fiery, and salty.

Ben Nevis is close by and makes good, very spicy bottles with a dry and crystalline style. Ardnamurchan is a distillery that focuses on both single malt and blended whiskies, both peaty and not.

In the southern belt, near the border between the highlands and the lowlands, and in Glasgow, there is a great place called Glengoyne. Its single malts stand out for being pure, meaty, and pure. Loch Lomond works well and makes clean products, including those made from peat.

In the area between Perth and the southern edges of Speyside in Perthshire, there are a lot of distilleries with a style that is rich, fruity, and very soft. Aberfeldy, which has a rich and warm tone, and Edradour, which is one of the most experimental distilleries when it comes to using wood and makes creative use of wine barrels (Barolo, Sauternes, etc.), are two of the most interesting. It makes both peat and things that don’t come from peat.

Further north, we reach the Eastern Highland area, which has a lot of distilleries. Since 1826, the GlenDronach has been making drams that are rich, highly oxidized, and alcoholically ferocious. Ardmore is a colossal distillery famous for its peaty and herbaceous spirits.

In between flows the Speyside as we have said, but then going east, we reach Inverness and a whole series of splendid distilleries scattered on the coast a little further north. This area is rich, lavish and offers an incredible selection of single malts. The Dalmore produces robust bottles, heavily aged in ex-sherry barrels and rich, chocolaty, spicy, and velvety. Balblair is another distillery to visit, welcoming, but above all a harbinger of incredible whiskeys.

Salty, pungent, herbaceous, and full of mentholated vitality and tantalizing citrus hints. The guys here know how to do it, as it is one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland, in business since 1790. And then we have the ephebic and slightly snobbish spirits, but always full of the grace of the legendary Glenmorangie distillery, which experiments a lot with precious woods, such as the used barrels of the Château d’Yquem. And then we end up with Clynelish, a distillery renowned for the creaminess and elegance of its products.